


Slumber

by wynnebat



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2016-05-03
Packaged: 2018-06-06 05:23:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6740050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wynnebat/pseuds/wynnebat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pepper can't sleep. Thankfully, she's never truly alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Slumber

**Author's Note:**

> For a comment-fic [prompt](http://comment-fic.livejournal.com/697968.html?thread=92038000#t92038000) by truthwritaslies.
> 
> Also posted on [tumblr](http://wynnebat.tumblr.com/post/143618967263/for-a-comment-fic-prompt-by-truthwritaslies-set).

"I wore new underwear," Pepper murmurs, stroking Tony's hair. She weaves her fingers through the strands at the base of his skull, pressing her thumb down to massage the knots of stress in his neck. His face looks peaceful as he sleeps, but he's wrapped around her like a vice, all tight limbs and hard shoulders. Pepper's known him for years; she could draw whole diagrams to illustrate how becoming a superhero--and worse, joining the Avengers--has impacted her boyfriend. Pepper's known him for years; she knows exactly how well such a diagram would be received. Pepper knows financial reports, she knows Tony's calorie intake, she knows he'd tried so hard to actually make their date, but she can't put a number to happiness. Is it worth it, this mad fight against everything this world and others spawns?

"JARVIS?" Pepper asks, her voice soft but not a whisper. In this state, she'd only wake Tony if she tried. "The world's not on fire, is it?"

"It is as peaceful as it gets," JARVIS replies, his voice coming from the speakers in her phone rather than the ones in the walls. He'd only declined to participate in conversation a few times, and the invasion of fire aliens was still the most memorable.

Pepper places her phone next to her on the pillow, shifting a little so that it fills a groove next to her ear. Insomnia has been a fierce enemy for year--her mind just won't stop sometimes, with Tony and Stark Industries and the recent stock drop and aliens for god's sake on her mind--but it helps to have friends. And at just past three in the morning, with Tony fast asleep, there's only one friend to whom she goes.

"Tony really is missing out," she grumbles.

His voice is quieter, easy on her ears, when JARVIS speaks again. "They suit you well, Miss Potts."

"I'm glad to be appreciated," Pepper replies, quirking a smile in the direction of her phone. "Are you still reading through Victorian era literature?"

Pepper closes her eyes and settles in, listening to JARVIS' recent adventures throughout literary history. She's happy to argue over just how well Pride and Prejudice holds up to modern day romance, lets JARVIS add a couple new books to her iPad that he believes she'd like much better ("Lies," she says with a sleepy laugh.), and bemoans with him about how much has still not been archived onto the internet. She's not an AI--she'll never read books as fast as JARVIS, never hold as much knowledge in her mind as he does--but she thinks he likes her anyway.

It's hours later when Tony kisses her shoulder and says, "Cheating on me?" His voice is hoarse with sleep. "You have good taste."

"I really do," Pepper replies, and pulls them both closer.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Complete; no sequel planned.


End file.
